STATEMENT BY MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON THE ASSASSINATION OF FORMER PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO

"Today all New Yorkers, including the
more than 100,000 who can trace their heritage to Pakistan, are saddened to
learn about the assassination of Pakistan's Former Prime Minister Benazir
Bhutto. Hers was a voice for democracy, and the silencing of it - by such brutal means -
is a shock to us all. Ms. Bhutto's death - and the deaths of the many
other Pakistanis who were killed today simply for expressing their views - is a
great loss for friends of democracy and for everyone who is united in the
fight against terror. It's also a grim reminder that many people consider the
freedoms we cherish a threat. The perpetrators of this violent act must be brought
to justice, and it is my hope that President Musharraf will follow through on
free and fair elections in January as a testament to Ms. Bhutto's
legacy."